Lucy Norwood became the wife of George Merchant on November 18, 1826. He was 19 and she was 17 at the time of their marriage. Lucy was one of the twin daughters born to John Norwood and Betsy Bray in 1809. (In addition to twin daughters, John and Betsy Norwood also had twin sons as part of the ten children born to them.) In 1853, twenty-six years and four months after her marriage, Lucy gave birth to the last of her thirteen children. At that time she was about forty-three and the first of her children were married and had made her a grandmother. Lucy's youngest son was only seven when she passed away on May 5, 1860 from trouble with her heart.

(From the notes of Frank R. Merchant: Mrs. LaFond, a descendant of Lucy's fifth child, noted that there was a family tradition that said Lucy and her twin sister Nancy were so identical that even their own children could not tell them apart.)

Obituary of Emily (Merchant) Tarr

obituary provided by Denise Nichols, her great, great granddaughter,and the Gloucester Archives

From the House of Jabez -- Chronicles of the Merchant-Marchant Family by Frank R. Merchant